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BARRELS hundreds of different toast profiles, each of which has its own distinct graph depicting temperature versus time. The company's toasting system follows these graphs to ensure consistency. Jason Stout, World Cooperage's international sales director, said toasting is the most important part of the barrel-making process. As barrels toast, the cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and oak tan- nins break down and change, creating the depth of flavors. Wood from the same forest and same stave mill can provide totally different flavors based on the time and temperature of the toast. Vincent Nadalie, who manages the American operations of Tonnellerie Nadalie, said one of the most important factors is the location of the cooperage and the seasoning yard. "For STAVE WORLD WIDE tion between certain parts of the forest and from tree to tree, just as in a vineyard. Coopers, however, have become adept at ensuring the blend of woods they use provide a consistent flavor profile, Cohn said. Better control of wood sourcing helps all stages of the cooperage process. "I think with better understanding of the blends they're making, they know how to toast those barrels to make them more consistent," he said. Technology and new options often appear to be driving the barrel side of the industry, but many companies still rely on their tradition and expertise to stand apart. Tonnellerie Vicard touts its computercontrolled toasting method, which it claims helps ensure consistent barrels by eliminating the need for someone to monitor a toast by hand. World Cooperage also uses a toasting method that is partly based on computer control. When workers are toasting a batch of barrels, they refer to a monitor that displays each barrel's interior surface temperature. As the toasting process continues, the computer tracks temperatures and toasting time to determine if the worker is following the pre-determined toast profile for that particular barrel. World Cooperage offers The location of an oak-seasoning yard has a significant effect on the wood used for barrel making. Win es & Vin es F EB RUA RY 20 14 41